Tread



SePt- 14, 1943 H. M. BISHOP 2,329,582

TREAD Filed Nov. 2, 1942 6 f7 f @o lui `@MII M Ilm @g Imi Patented Sept.14, 1943 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE 'maan nar-oid M. Bisher,Shreveport, la.

Application November 2, 1942, serial No. 464,180

1 claims. (c1. sos-1o) -provision of an assembly of auxiliary treads sodesigned that the same can be easily installed upon or removed from thelugged traction plates of a continuous tread equipped machine or vehicleso as to enable the same to travel on paved highways withoutthepossibility of the regular metal treads damaging the highway duringsuch travel.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tread assemblycapable of being quickly attached to or removed from the conventionalcontinuous tread assembly of a tank or tractor or similar vehicle ormachine, the tread assembly comprising a plurality of cushioning treadblocks of a height greater than the cleats commonly formed on the treadplates of the machine and adapted to be positioned on the tread platesof the machine by suitable cords formed of rubber or other elasticmaterial, and dowel pins engaging portions of the said tread plates.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a treadassembly which is simple in construction and thoroughly reliable andeiective in operation.

The tread assembly shown and described herein has been designed toprovide a readily installed, practical and convenient means of supplyinga cushioning tread assembly for conventional metal continuous treadassemblies such as used on tanks and other military vehicles as well ason tractors and other domestic vehicles and machines. The device of theinvention upon being installed on the continuous tread assembly of sucha vehicle will remain securely in position due to its uniqueconstruction and may be installed thereupon in a matter of minutes whichwill permit the machine or vehicle so equipped to travel upon pavedhighways without damaging the same as would otherwise result if thevehicle or machine traveled upon the said highways on its conventionalmetal treads and cleats.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a continuous tread driving wheel withparts broken away with a portion of a continuous tread of conventionaldesign in position thereon and illustrating the additional provision ofthe device of the invention on the conventional metal road engagingplates,

Figure 2 is a side elevation, parts of which are broken away and partsof which are in cross section, illustrating a portion of a continuoustread assembly equipped with the device of the invention.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional elevationof a portion of the deviceillustrated in Figure 2 and discloses the details of constructionthereof.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of cable connection means used with theelastic cords of the invention.

By referring to the drawings and Figure 1 in particular, it will be seenthat a conventional continuous tread assembly drive wheel is indicatedby the numeral I0, the periphery of which is provided with a pluralityof gear-like teeth II which teeth I I are adapted to apply drivingtraction to a continuous tread assembly I2 which is of a conventionaltype and which in actual use is passed over at least one other wheel orwheellike structure, and which in itself comprises an assembly of treadblocks pivoted to one another by means of pivot members I3, each treadblock being supplied with a ground engaging tread plate I4 each of whichinv turn is provided with a transversely positioned cleat I5. Acontinuous interconnected chain of these assemblies pass over the wheelI0 of the device on which the continuous tread assembly is installed andform the conventional and heretofore known continuous tread assembly ofthe type well known in the art.

In Figure 1 this assembly is illustrated with the cleats I5 shownslightly higher in elevation than is ordinarily the case and withsecondary treads I6 positioned one on each of the tread plates I4 andheld in position thereon by two means, one of which comprises a pair ofcontinuous elastic cords II each of which is passed through suitableopenings in each of the secondary treads IQ. The other means comprises apair of dowel pins I8 which are passed through matching openings in thetreadv block assemblies I2 and which openings register with openingsalso providedin the tread plates I4.

By referring now to Figure 2 of the drawing, a side elevation with partsbroken away and partly in cross section may be seen wherein the deviceof the invention as well as the individual tread blocks which comprisethe complete continuous tread assembly are shown. The tread blocks I2carry the tread plates Il by means f a plurality of bolts and nutsgenerally indicated by the numeral I8 and the secondary treads I6, whichwith their attachment meanscomprise the device of the invention.' areshown in position thereon. The dowel pins I8 are shown projectingthrough the tread plates I4 and the tread blocks I2 and the elasticcords I1 are shown passing through notches 20 in the cleats I5 as wellas through the secondary treads I6. s

A portion of the illustration of Figure 2 shows a cross sectional detailof the secondary treads I6,

the dowel pin I8, a T-like head 2I formed there-` on and tubular members22 positioned throughl the openings in the secondary treads I6 andthrough which tubular members 22 the elastic cords Il pass. It will thusbe seen that when constructed in the manner illustrated and described,the secondary treads, preferably formed of rubber or similar cushioningmaterial, and applied to the metal tread assemblies of a tank, tractoror similar vehicle so equipped, the result is the immediateprovision ofa suitable cushioning tread which will permit the machine or vehicle soequipped to operate on smooth surfaced, paved highways without damagingthe same and with considerable assistance to the operation of themachine itself due to the termination of the loss of friction betweenthe metal treads and the hard surfaced highway. It will be observed thatthe secondary tread assemblies are positioned on the tread plates onlyby means of `the elastic cords I1 and the dowel pins I8 both of whichpermit the ready dismounting of the secondary treads within a relativelyshort time.

By referring to Figure 3 of the drawing, a cross sectional elevationtaken in transverse relation to the elevation in Figure 2 may be seen,the dowel pins I8 being shown as being provided with elongated T-headedmembers 2I which being imbedded in the rubber of the secondary treads I6serve to insure the accurate location of each of the secondary treadmembers I6 on the tread plates Il of the conventional metal treadassembly. In Figure 3, the formation of the cleats I5 which comprise aportion of the tread plates I4 may be seen and the notches formedtherein to permit the proper positioning of the elastic cables I1 areillustrated in dotted lines and generally indicatedl by the numeral 23.It will be observed that the conventional tread plates I4 are shown asbeing of greater width than the secondary cushioning treads I6 and thecross sectional elevation in Figure 3 clearly illustrates the ease inwhich the secondary tread assembly I6 may be removed from the treadplate I4 which it engages.

It is obvious that the device of the invention may be easily applied ,tothe conventional metal tread assemblies of a vehicle or machine soequipped by simply unfastening suitable fasteners, such as hook and eyeassemblies I'IA and I'IB in the elastic cables I1 and placing thesecondary tread assembly in front of the continuous tread and thendriving the machine forward upon the assembly after which the ends maybe manually engaged around and over the uppermost sections of theconventional continuous tread and the ends of the elastic cablesfastened together. It

aiiixing the secondary t're'ads'as the dowekpins must register with theappropriate openings as the machine advances forward upon the device. Analternate form of attachment comprises the placement of the secondarytread in position upon the uppermost surface of the continuous treadassembly and the subsequent forward movement of the device, the dowelpins serving to hold the device lin position as the machine advances onto the secondarv tread assemblies. In removing the treads it is onlynecessary to unfasten the connection means of the elastic cables I1,which may be of any suitable design and formation, such as hook and eyeassemblies I 1A and ITB and drive the machine or vehicle forward,manually assisting the disengagement of the secondary treads from therear-most sections of the machine as they rise from their contact withthe surface over which they have been passing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An auxiliary tread assembly for conventional continuous treadassemblies, said auxiliary assembly comprising a plurality of flexiblecables is obvious that manual assistance is necessary in and a pluralityof resilient blocks having the cables threaded therethrough, dowel pinsformed in each of the said blocks and adapted to register with openingsformed in the conventional tread assemblies with which the auxiliarytread assembly is adapted to be used.

2. An auxiliary tread assembly for conventional continuous treadassemblies, said auxiliary assembly comprising a plurality of blocks ofrubber, a plurality of flexible cables threaded through the said blocksand adapted to form an endless chain, means formed in and protrudingfrom the said rubber blocks for locating the same with respect to theconventional tread assemblies and detachable fastener means forconnecting the said flexible cable ends together.

3. An auxiliary tread assembly for conventional continuous treads, saidauxiliary assembly comprising a plurality of flexible cables, aplurality of rubber blocks having the cables threaded therethrough,dowel pins positioned in each of the said blocks and adapted to registerwith openings formed in the conventional tread assemblies and detachablefastener means for connecting the said ilexible cable ends together.

4. An auxiliary cushion tread assembly for continuous metallic treadassemblies, the said auxiliary cushion tread assemblies comprising aplurality of suitable rubber blocks adapted to be positioned on thetread plates of the said conventional tread assemblies, means forretaining the said rubber blocks in position on the said continuoustread assemblies, said means comprising a plurality of flexible cablesthreadably engaging each of the said rubber blocks, secondary means forinsuring the positioning of the said rubber blocks on the treadassemblies, the said secondary means comprising a plurality of dowelpins attached to the said rubber blocks and adapted to register withsuitable openings formed in the said conventional tread assemblies. 4

5. The combinat'um of a 4conventional ccntinuous tread assemblyincluding surface engaging plates having cleats transversely formedthereon, notches formed in the said cleats, and a plurality of secondarycushion tread blocks adapted to be positioned one on each of the saidtread plates of the conventional continuous tread assembly, means foraiiixing the said cushion tread blocks to the said conventionalcontinuous tread assembly. the said means comprising ilexible cablesthreadably positioned through the said cushion tread blocks and the saidnotches, secondary means for positioning the said cushion tread blockson the said tread plates comprising dowel pins partly imbedded in thesaid cushion tread blocks and adapted to engage registering openingsformed in the said conventional continuous tread assembly.

6. The combination of a conventional tread assembly including surfaceengaging plates having cleats transversely formed thereon, openingsformed in the said cleats, and a plurality of secondary cushion treadblocks adapted to be positioned one on each of the said tread plates ofthe conventional tread assembly, means for ailixing the said cushiontread blocks to the said through the said cushion tread blocks and thesaid cleat openings, secondary means for positioning the said cushiontread blocks on the said tread platesl comprising dowel pins partlyimbedded in the said cushion tread blocks and adapted to engageregistering openings formed in the said conventional tread assembly, anddetachable fastener means for connecting the said iiexible cable endstogether.

7. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of rubbercables and a plurality of blocks having the rubber cables threadedtherethrough, means on the said blocks for positioning the blocks on thetread plates of a tread assembly, fastener means for connecting thecable ends together, the said rubber cables adapted to hold the saidblocks on the said tread assemblies.

HAROLD M. BISHOP.

